The Witches Novel Study

Group Novel Study March/ April 2014

The Witches by Roald Dahl

A. Read the following pages each week.  Please resist the temptation to read ahead. We will be doing some predicting and inferring during our class discussions.  Questions should be answered based only on what has been read up to that point in time.

Novel	Week One Mar 17 –21		Week Two Mar 24 –28	Week Three Mar 31 – Apr 4	Week Four Apr 7 - 11
The Jacket		Pg 1-25	Pg 25 - 43-	Pg 44 - 70	Pg 71-89
Tiger Rising		Pg 1-25	Pg 26 – 55	Pg 56 – 86	Pg 87 - 116
The White Giraffe		Pg 1 - 45	Pg 46 – 86	Pg 87 – 134	Pg 135 -181
The Witches		Pg 1 – 46	Pg 47 – 102	Pg 103– 153	Pg 154 - 208
No Such Thing as Dragons		Pg 1 – 49	Pg 50 – 93	Pg 94 – 146	Pg 147 - 186

Spelling list words

Week One – List 20 nouns	Week Two –  List 21 verbs	Week Three – List 22 adjectives	Week Four- List 23 adverbs
1.       passion	1.       explore	1.  ancient	1.  easily
2.       ghoul	2.  caught	2.  unbearable	2.  absolutely
3.       shivers	3.  interfering	3.  dangerous	3.  actually
4.       figure	4.  reserved	4.  thoughtful	4.  exactly
5.       statue	5.  tiptoed	5.  hideous	5.  suddenly
6.       scalp	6. imprisoned	6.  filthy	6.  certainly
7.       tinge	7.  sworn	7.  special	7.  directly
8.       conversation	8.  fascinated	8.  suspicious	8.  quickly
9.       stench	9.  shriveled	9.  precious	9.  completely
10.   lecture	10.  shrieked	10.  tremendous	10.  cautiously
11.   creatures	11.  gasped	11.  bulgy	11.  beautifully
12.   nostrils	12.  gaped	12.  fantastic	12.  practically

B. Spelling Counts – earn forty points per week by doing the spelling activities

C. Summarize each week’s reading in your own words.  Include all important events. Leave out minor details.

D. In your language notebook answer the questions.  Include the page number when giving evidence from the text.   Some work, like the Wanted Poster, will be done on separate paper.

Week One Mar 17 –21

Week Two Mar 24 –28

Week Three Mar 31 – Apr 4

Week Four Apr 7 - 11

Questions

1, 2,3

4,5,6

7, 8, 9

10, 11, 12 Portrait

Questions

1. 1.       What information could a Witchophile use to detect a real witch?
2. 2.       How can the boy protect himself from real witches?
3. 3.       Make a “Wanted Poster” for the grand high witch.
4. 4.       Why was the Grand High Witch displeased with the witches of England? What does she expect them to do in order to please her?
5. 5.       Design an advertisement for Formula 86 that will appear in Witches’ Magazine.
6. 6.       Why did the boy not like Bruno Jenkins? Predict what will happen next to Bruno now that he has been changed into a mouse.
7. 7.       List the advantages and disadvantages of being a mouse compared to being a boy.
8. 8.       What is the boy’s plan to get rid of the witches? Do you think it will work?
9. 9.       Why did Mr. & Mrs. Jenkins not believe the Grandmother when she first told them what had happened to their son Bruno?
10. 10.   How did the experience of training his pet mice help the boy once he had become a mouse himself?
11. 11.   The boy and his grandmother leave the hotel without their luggage. Good idea or bad idea? Explain.
12. 12.   Write about what you think will actually happen when the boy and his Grandmamma get to the Grand High Witch’s Castle.

* Draw and colour a portrait of either  the “boy” or his Grandmamma. Label your portrait with evidence from the text.